The Rising Dark
by WakkaWakkaYaYa
Summary: If life is a cycle, can there ever be peace? The heroes are back at Garden, and are ready for life to lead them into the next stage. However, a darkness bred from fear and hate threatens to uproot the lives of sorceress and knight; a darkness that veils a nation and echoes through the world.
1. Chapter 1

_I'm supposed to put a disclaimer, right? That I don't own Final Fantasy 8 or the characters?_

 _Well, let it be known then. I don't own Final Fantasy 8 or the characters. I don't even own a hairbrush. I look like the lovechild of Albert Einstein and Doc Brown._

 _Also, this is my first story, so forgive any kind of formatting mistakes. I'm trying._

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"Hello?"

" _Hello. Is this Headmaster Cid?_ "

"Yes, this is he, who am I speaking with?"

" _I am the leader of the Coalition of Peace. We have a request we would like to put forth._ "

Cid nodded at the familiar words he'd heard from a thousand different groups. He scooted his chair closer to his desk and reached for pen and paper.

"Of course, if you would like to hire SeeD, I'd be happ-"

" _We do not want to hire SeeD,"_ the man interrupted. Cid put his pen down as he focused on the voice. It was low, even, and controlled. Cid had never heard it before. Or of this Coalition. He took his spectacles off, pinching the earpiece between his finger and thumb, and slowly leaned back in his chair. Something didn't feel right.

"You don't want to hire SeeD," Cid repeated. "… Then, what is your request?"

" _We request that you willingly and peacefully give up the sorceress Rinoa Heartilly."_

Cid took an involuntary breath. As of this night, only a few people at Garden and select people in Esthar knew about Rinoa's acceptance of Edea's powers. Talk had gone around about Edea losing her powers to some unknown teenage girl during the Battle of the Gardens but nobody knew who it was. He decided to take a stab at denial.

"Rinoa Heartilly is a client of this organization," he began slowly, focusing on the tone of his voice to make it sound genuine. "Not a sorceress."

" _We have received intel that would suggest otherwise,"_ the man went on, unabashed by Cid's lie. Cid's brows drew together in suspicion.

"Who _is_ this?"

 _"_ _We are the Coalition of Peace, and the sorceress is a direct obstacle in our righteous path toward everlasting peace, therefore she must be put to rest._ "

Cid's lips drew tight and his eyes narrowed as he took in the words of the man.

" _Mr. Kramer, we ask that you willingly and peacefully give up the sorceress Rinoa Heartilly,"_ the man continued. _"If you don't, we will be forced to take action_."

Cid's eyes flashed with anger. "Take action?" he repeated, his voice strained. "Is that a threat?"

The man on the line continued his low, calm speech. " _We are a peaceful coalition. We want only the sorceress. Give her up, and no one need be hurt. Refuse, and we'll do what we must."_

Cid leaned forward on the desk, finger pointing accusingly at the unseen man. "Now look here… if you think you can threaten me you'd better think again. This institution trains the most formidable and tactful soldiers from here to the Island Closest to Hell. Anyone who steps foot in my school with intentions to do any one of my students harm will wish that he _were_ in Hell, and rest assured, I'd be happy to escort them there." Cid all but roared his last sentence, his pulse quickening with anger and breath stiffening with his tensed muscles.

"… _I suppose you've made your choice then. I wish this could have turned out differently._ "

The line went silent. Cid slammed the phone onto its holster, sending tiny pieces of plastic upward. His head swam as he took the conversation in. Did that really just happen? It was a bluff, right? He thought back through Garden's history. Naturally, the institution held some controversy with many groups and had received such threats before, but for some reason, Cid took this one a little more personally. He sighed as his pulse gradually slowed.

The blue and white behemoth that was Garden sailed through the crisp night air toward its home on the continent of Balamb. They couldn't have been more than an hour offshore, but Cid felt unease with the situation. Being mobile gave Garden the upper hand when it came to defensive maneuvering, and if the terrorists were to carry out their threat that night, they'd be sitting ducks back in Balamb. But where could they go? Should they just keep sailing? Cid shook his head at the thought. He promised the whole of the student body that once the war was over, Garden would be stationed back in its original location, after the necessary landscaping made such an event possible. At the moment, less than half the students who attended Balamb Garden were even on board, as when the whole debacle started, many students were at home for summer vacation.

Cid looked at his watch. 10 o'clock, Balamb time, meaning 6, Esthar central time. Cid was sure Laguna would still be in his office. He dialed a number quickly, having memorized it during recent events. Four short rings and a voice spoke.

"Laguna, hello. It's Cid Kramer. I do hope I'm not disturbing you."

" _Not at all. I was actually just about to send you an email. Well, you and pretty much everyone else. I'm inviting the leaders of every nation to a World Meeting this Thursday in Esthar to talk about the Second Sorceress War. I know it's short notice, but what can you do? Pressing matters, ya know,"_ Laguna blabbed.

"Pressing matters, indeed. That's actually the reason I called you. Have you heard of a group called the Coalition of Peace?"

" _Coalition of Peace?_ " Laguna repeated. " _Hmm no… no I don't think so. Why? Who are they?"_

"I just received a phone call from them. Asking me to give up the sorceress... or suffer the consequences."

" _Really?_ " Laguna asked slowly.

Cid nodded though the Esthar president couldn't see him. "They identified her by name," he went on gravely.

" _Wow_." Cid heard Laguna sigh and the soft sound of him leaning back in his chair in the country across the world. After a pause, he spoke again, " _How is that possible?_ "

"Well, that's what I wanted to ask you. As far as I know, the list of people in the know is relatively short. Aside from myself the small group who were involved in the fight against Ultimecia, it should be just the people from your lunar base… sorceress memorial… and some of the members in the palace. Is that correct?"

" _Yeah, that's right. Man… do you think someone outside of Esthar or Garden could have found out?_ " Cid felt slightly guilty at the possibly accusatory tone he had taken. He could understand the president's reluctance to believe that anyone in his own city would make any threats against Garden.

"The only other possibility is someone from Galbadia Garden. But I don't think it's very likely. There weren't many Galbadians in the Garden that day." Cid thought back on the Battle of the Gardens when Edea's powers transferred to Rinoa. Even then, nobody knew that that's what had happened. He hated to admit it, but it was most likely that this coalition was in Esthar.

" _Yeah, you're right,"_ Laguna concurred. Cid was relieved he didn't need to say more about his suspicions. " _In that case, I'll talk to Kiros and Ward… have them make up a list of all the people in Esthar who know. And I'll make sure to keep an eye out for this Coalition of Peace thingy._ "

"Thank you, Laguna. I greatly appreciate it."

" _Of course, of course,"_ Laguna batted away his thanks. " _Well, the conference is in four days. Why don't you guys just lie low in the meantime? I'm sure you can find a discreet place somewhere in this whole wide world."_

"Yes, that might be the best plan. I don't want to risk any students getting hurt, not after all they've been through."

" _Right, right... So you'll be attending then? The meeting?_ "

"I believe I will."

" _Great. And if she doesn't mind, it'd probably by helpful if Edea came, too. Odine can explain that she lost her powers and she can tell what happened from her point of view. I'm sure that'll inspire sympathy._ "

"I'll run it by her, but I'm sure she'll come."

" _Excellent. No need to respond to the email, then, I'll just mark you now. Oh, hey, how's uh… how are the kids doing?_ "

Cid smiled, his heart lightening from the dark phone call he had earlier. "They're well. They're very well. They got back yesterday afternoon, slept until this afternoon. They're now engaged in the celebration festivities."

Laguna laughed happily. " _Good, that's- that's real good... Just how kids should be. Well, I better run. I've got dinner waiting for me. I'll be in touch._ "

"Take care," Cid replied. His brief conversation with Laguna surprisingly eased his mind a bit. At least now he knew what to expect in the next few days. Cid stood and walked to the open window. Shouts and laughter drifted upward from the ballroom. Balamb was just visible on the dark horizon. He sighed and lowered his head. They'd go to Trabia. The cold continent, although also containing a similar military school, was generally neutral and sparsely populated. Garden could slip into one of the crevices easily and wait out the next four days.

"… Darling, are you ready to go down to the party?" A delicate, dulcet voice called from the doorway. Cid turned and smiled at his wife.

"Yes, dear. Let me just make a small shift in our destination."

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"And how did he respond?" a smooth feminine voice called from behind the man. Select strands of his salt and pepper hair glistened with the light from outside.

"Not in our favor," the man spoke slowly as he breathed a sigh through his nose. He stood at the window, looking out onto his city, one eyebrow cocked in slight annoyance.

"What did he say?"

"He has no intention of giving up the witch."

The woman nodded slightly at this. They had anticipated this might happen.

"… you've prepared the boy then?"

"Boys," the man corrected, "and girl, yes. I'm confident they'll be more than capable of apprehending the sorceress."

The woman looked on the man intently, searching for any sign of emotion.

"They'll need an Odine item," she pointed out.

"We don't have any," he said sharply.

"What will they do then? They can't take down a sorceress on their own. She could wipe them out in a second."

"Our people are working on it."

"… We can't bring her into the city." The woman didn't shy away from pointing out any possible flaws in the plan. That's what made her so useful to the man.

"I know. I've already found a location that will be quite suited to the sorceress. She'll be buried with the other monstrous evil things that ravage this world."

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	2. Chapter 2

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Squall cursed under his breath. He never was the type to seek attention, and this of all moments was not the one with which he wanted to start. Rinoa pulled gently away, an embarrassed smile on her face. He brushed his bangs from his eyes quickly and turned back toward the open ocean. He did his best to revert back to his stoic demeanor as he heard Irvine muttering swears, after Selphie smacked him. The night had been going so well until Irvine let out a loud wolf whistle, announcing to the whole of Garden just what Squall and Rinoa had been doing.

"Sorry, guys! Ignore him! Please, carry on," Selphie shouted from halfway across the ballroom, waving and dragging a struggling Irvine along with her, her little black camera glued to his hand. Her innocent attempt to rectify the situation only served to draw more attention to it.

Squall made a conscious effort to relax his tensed shoulder muscles. They had inadvertently made their way up toward his ears, sympathetically trying to help hide his reddened face. His countenance softened as he felt the wind billow up from Rinoa's blue duster, swirling next to him against the balcony. He peered over at her, doing his best to not actually turn his head. If anyone was still looking, he didn't want to do anything to encourage their continued attention. Rinoa was smiling and looking at the spot where the shooting star had disappeared.

"You know, I don't even mind right now. Nothing can ruin this night for me," Rinoa said, turning to give Squall a meaningful smile. Squall turned, slightly surprised and suddenly in awe. From the very beginning he had been so entranced by her smile, whether or not he'd admit it to anyone, and as the stars twinkled at him from her eyes, he momentarily forgot to breathe. He mentally slapped himself as he realized he'd been staring at her. Rinoa blushed and looked down at her hands then back up to the sky. He couldn't help but smile to himself as it dawned on him that the same was true for him. Nothing could ruin this night.

They stood in a comfortable silence but for the crash of waves and white noise of chatter and laughter. Squall would have been content to stay there until the sun came up, but their companions were not so eager to be bereft of the two lovebirds. Squall reluctantly let himself be led by Zell to a group of young admirers, eager to hear the tales of the future world and specific battle techniques used in the fight against the evil sorceress of the future. Squall's expression slowly faded back to one of stoicism as he let Zell do the bulk of the talking. The martial artist did so with gusto, throwing sample jabs and example uppercuts. Squall sipped from a small champagne flute and froze as his eyes fixed on the same figure he'd been dragged from half an hour earlier.

Rinoa smiled at Squall from her spot next to Quistis, where a miniature horde of young girls and boys stood. One of the boys was speaking enthusiastically to Quistis who smiled politely. Squall watched amused as one of the girls in the group apparently startled Rinoa from her reverie, hands gesturing in a manner equally as enthusiastic as Quistis' admirer. Rinoa spoke to the girl, nodding her head to whatever she was saying. The girl walked away and Rinoa's gaze moved back to where Squall had been standing. Her smile faltered as her eyes didn't find their target.

"Rinoa," a deep voice spoke softly behind her. Rinoa smiled but didn't turn as she waited for the shadowed figure to continue. "Meet me at the elevator in 10 minutes." Rinoa nodded and made an effort to take a nonchalant sip from her glass. She leaned forward as a trickle of liquid slipped down her chin, and swiped at it quickly, hoping no one had noticed. She searched for the large clock on the wall. She'd be damned if she'd miss this date. When the allotted time had passed, she drank the small amount of liquid left in her glass and looked to her left slyly. Quistis' back was slightly turned, and Selphie was nowhere to be found. Rinoa walked to the exit.

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Squall stood at the elevator of the second floor, leaning against the wall. A few cadets and SeeDs had passed by and waved excitedly at Garden's leading hero. Squall nodded at the first few, but simply ignored the subsequent ones. He was already tired of being a hero.

"Excuse me, I'm supposed to be meeting someone here. He's strong, incredibly handsome, and very sweet – although you couldn't tell just by looking… have you seen anyone by that description?" Squall looked up at Rinoa's smirking form.

"Yeah… you just missed him. He went down the hall with some busty redhead," Squall said. Rinoa feigned offense, crossing her arms and rolling her eyes, then she smiled. "However, he did ask me to give you this." He took her hand and stepped toward her, leaning down slowly. He closed his eyes, relishing the fire he felt throughout his body, and shot his eyes back open as he took a quick step away from the stunned brunette. Two cadets walked past the long hallway and peered down, waving and giggling to each other. Rinoa laughed.

"It's almost like a cosmic joke, isn't it?" she said, then brought a hand up and pressed the elevator button. "I know where we can't be disturbed." Squall's insides squirmed a bit at her remark. He did initiate this by suggesting the elevator as a rendezvous point, but still. As much as he wanted to spend more time with Rinoa, he didn't want to pressure her into anything too serious. They stepped onto the elevator, then walked the long path to the dormitory wing in silence, and just out of arm's reach. They stopped in front of the towering entryway. The two teenagers stood as if faced with an immense mountain which they must climb. Squall slowly turned to look at Rinoa, who turned toward him.

When he had first met her, she seemed like just another pretty girl out to use her wiles to seduce unsuspecting men into dancing with her. Approaching him was so easy for her, just as leaving had been. But even that one dance he had with her was enough to drive a wedge into his soul. Now when he looked at her he didn't see her so much as feel her. The way she put him at ease in body and mind… he felt so lucky to have found her.

Rinoa looked at the man who she first saw under a dome of stars on a fateful night many months ago. She had felt drawn to him from the beginning, and over time, she realized why that was. He wasn't simple and he wasn't easy. His hard and cold demeanor had put off many who crossed his path. And yet, it wasn't the challenge that drew her to him; but the faint glimmer of hope that she had seen in his eyes that night. From across the room, she felt his warmth, and she'd make it her mission in life to keep him warm, no matter what.

She smiled and took the first step into the cavernous hallway. Squall followed in kind. Their hands brushed and Squall let himself give in to the urge to hold her waiting hand.

* * *

Squall's room was neat albeit sparse. He never was particularly sentimental, nor materialistic, and so did not have very much as far as possessions went. He did, however, have quite the collection of magazines. Rinoa smiled as she looked them over. Squall stood near the door as he watched her peruse his few belongings.

"Battle Series… Battle Series… Ooh. More Battle Series… I'm glad to see you and Irvine don't share the same taste in magazines," she laughed. Squall shook his head at the memory of Irvine's little prank.

"Definitely not. But if I did, do you think I'd display them on my shelf?" Squall asked logically.

"Touché," Rinoa said, shrugging. Squall swallowed as he stepped away from the doorway. Rinoa smiled at him as he drew within reaching distance. "Squall," she spoke as she put a hand on his arm. He slowly moved a hand to her waist, wanting to draw her in, but wanting to be careful all the same. She rid him of his uncertainty as she gently put her hand behind his neck and tilted her head up toward his.

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The celebration had raged from early evening until past midnight, and the starry youths of Garden had all shuffled off to bed, weary but happy. All that is, except four. If any Garden Faculty members had still been employed at Balamb Garden, they would have had a field day wrangling in these particular delinquents on this peculiar night.

Selphie, Irvine, Zell, and Quistis sat around a table in the ballroom, smiling, laughing, and making merry. Scraps of food and empty bottles littered the tables surrounding them, and on their own table rested upright and not so upright empty bottles of champagne. In their own happy celebrations and libations, any authority figure that might have existed had completely neglected or forgotten to instruct the students of Garden to go to their respective rooms for the night, which led to the heroes of time, minus one certain couple, taking full advantage of their lucky freedom.

"Y-you guys. I jes' want you t'know.. and I really mean it… I love you guys so much," Zell proclaimed to the table. His foot rested on the tabletop, and he gestured around it with a green bottle of champagne from which he took a swig.

Quistis brought a hand to her chest and staggered forward slightly in her chair. "Ooohh Zell… I love you guys too," she spoke in a slightly higher pitch than was normal for her as she uncrossed her legs and brought her arms out, reaching for her friends and bringing them in for a group hug over the table. The four heroes now stood awkwardly over the table, arms wrapped around each other's shoulders as they took turns expressing their love for each other.

"Hayng, h-hey you guys," Selphie said, gripping the arms of the cowboy and the former instructor. "You know wha - _hck_ … we guys should do?"

The others looked at the petite and normally bouncy girl and shook their booze-addled heads.

"W-we should go fing Squaw and 'anoa."

"Hhheyyyyyy," Zell suddenly stood upright and raised his arms in question, looking around the ballroom as if there were crowds of people he was craning his neck to look around. "Wharr are Squaw and 'anoa?"

"That's what I'm sayngg," Selphie waved a palm around and straightened her hunched back in a sudden authoritative manner. "They should be here. We should go look for them," she suddenly spoke in a strong and assured voice. Irvine stared at her, mouth slightly slack from too much drink. He slowly started nodding as he looked left and right at Zell and Quistis.

"Now, Selphie," Quistis began, stumbling back a bit and picking up a half empty bottle. "Squall and 'anoa want pivacy. Wharever they're doing it's notar bizness," she slurred and shrugged one shoulder up as she lifted a bottle to her mouth. Selphie watched her friend guzzle the champagne and suddenly remembered her own bottle sitting in front of her. She swiped it up and took a large swig which filled her cheeks outward like a hamster before slowly deflating as the liquid slid down her throat.

"I don't know, Quistis," Irvine chimed in, slowly raising his arms and shrugging his shoulders to his ears for effect. "I think it's 'ngood idea."

"Heeeeeheeheeeheehee!" Selphie suddenly erupted, clapping her hands and splashing champagne, infused with a fresh vigor.

Her high pitched squeal struck some kind of chord in Zell, causing him to bring his fists up and slam them down on the table. "Alright! Let's DO IT!"

The others started at the outburst, then raised their bottles, cheering at their new, self-assigned mission. At that, the four friends were all ignited with a new purpose.

The clock in the ballroom showed 2. Little did the quartet know, Rinoa had already been escorted back to her room by a chivalrous Squall almost an hour ago. The young couple may have been in love, but they were young and their romance new. They had called it a night long before they could be swept away in their passions.

Selphie led her ragtag team of drunkards in what would come to be known as T _he_ _Grand Grat Escape_ by the amused students of Garden, and _The First Step in the New Balamb Garden Training Center_ for the headmaster.

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	3. Chapter 3

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A soft yellow light seeped through Rinoa's closed eyelids. It waxed and waned, getting darker and brighter, as if someone were walking back and forth in front of it. She slowly became aware of the presence in her room and opened her eyes as she sat up, looking in the direction of the light. Her bathroom door was cracked, but the light was off. Angelo slept peacefully to her left in the desk chair, calm and quiescent. She must have been dreaming.

She lay back down, curling up on her side. She burrowed her head into her pillow, inhaling the fruity scent lingering from her shampoo as she closed her eyes.

 _Drip… drip…_ Her eyes shot open again. She looked back to the bathroom. The light was on. Had she imagined it being off? _Drip… drip_ … it continued. Her brows furrowed with question. Was someone in there? Angelo slept still in her chair, apparently oblivious to any disturbance. Rinoa slowly slid the covers off herself, and grabbed her pinwheel from its resting spot on the desk. She stepped softly and deliberately, taking care not to make a sound. If someone had sneaked in, she would be the one to take them by surprise.

She approached the door and peered around it as she gradually pushed it open. She stood in the doorway looking at the tub. The shower curtain was drawn closed, but the silhouette of a person rested behind it. _Drip… drip…_ it was coming from the tub. The shadow inside it did not move, simply rested against the back of the tub as if taking a relaxing bath. Rinoa gripped the pinwheel tightly, ready to swing it down on the trespasser if need be. She took two small steps toward the tub. The person still did not move. She gripped the curtain and paused, her eyes trained on the body, waiting for movement. Quickly, she threw open the curtain and raised the pinwheel offensively, prepared to attack before the intruder did.

Rinoa's eyes widened in shock and her weapon dropped to the ground, shattering as if it were made of glass, shards flying between her bare toes, cutting the ivory flesh. She didn't notice. She brought a hand to her mouth as she stared at the woman in the tub. It wasn't water that this woman rested in; it was blood. The woman's dark hair framed her face like wet tentacles and her eyes were open with the eerie glaze of death. Her lips were the pallor of her skin, which was almost blue from lack of blood. This woman was Rinoa.

Rinoa stared at her own dead body as she staggered away, taking painful steps backward as the remainders of her pinwheel dug into the skin of her feet. The edge of the bathroom door impeded her path, and she turned away ready to run out and down the hall for help when something stopped her. The mirror above the sink reflected an intruder. The apparition's hair was completely silver and her eyes an amber gold. Rinoa's insides turned to ice as she took an unsteady step forward, blood seeping from between her toes. She watched in horror as the being across from her reflected the moves and motions she made. Rinoa's eyes widened, the phantom's eyes widened. Rinoa brought a trembling hand to her face, the reflection brought a shaky claw up. As Rinoa stared at the image across from her, her throat caught. Her eyes narrowed in confusion and tears formed involuntarily as she looked down at her hands. They weren't the hands she knew, the hands that learned piano as a child, the hands that painted crappy model trains, the hands that pointed at shooting stars. They were demonic, almost beast-like claws, large and knobby, with blood-matted fur and black, sharp points for fingernails.

She looked back up at the mirror and realized that she was looking at herself. She was now Ultimecia. She had become the very embodiment of evil she and her friends had just risked everything to destroy. Her animalistic hands gripped the sink as she leaned closer to her reflection. She held her breath in fear as her former self that was the dark-haired Rinoa stood behind her, tears of blood running from her chestnut eyes, looking with pity upon the crying witch, as she brushed the silver hair out of Rinoa's face with one blood drenched hand.

Rinoa screamed as she shot up like a mousetrap in her bed. Angelo's ears stood at attention as she sat up, looking in the direction of the disturbance. Rinoa threw the covers off herself, examining her body for claws and purple markings and bloodied feet. Her hands shook as she held them out in the darkness, turning them over and over to check each side. She swallowed hard, the saliva moistening her parched throat, as she swung her legs over the side of her bed and burst into the bathroom. She turned the light on, fully expecting to see something that would shock her back into a coma. The tub was empty, the curtain pulled back, and the reflection in the mirror showed nothing but a terrified teenager, with normal, salty tears running down ashen cheeks.

Rinoa's brown eyes squinted shut as gentle sobs escaped her lips. She swiped roughly at the tears and drew in a deep breath. She peered out the bathroom door at the digital clock on the standard nightstand. 3:27 am. Her body ached and her lids weighed heavy. She had tossed and turned restlessly all night, the recent events playing over and over in her mind. She sighed loudly and turned the faucet on, splashing the harsh, cold water on her already wet face, and rinsing out her dry mouth. She looked back up at her reflection and used her forearms to dry herself off. She took one last calming breath and stepped out of the bathroom, shutting off the light. She was blind a moment as her pupils once again adjusted to the light change. She sensed the movement of Angelo, still watching her owner with keen curiosity. Rinoa felt her way back to the bed and pulled the covers high over her shoulders as she rolled onto her side. A few tears still managed to wriggle out, but she quickly batted them away. She closed her eyes tightly, willing herself to fall asleep. She lay awake until dawn.

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* * *

The sound of running water trickled into her dreams and roused Selphie from a booze-induced sleep. She sat upright in her bed, eyes not yet open, sniffed the air and stretched her arms out, reaching forward and hunching her back like a happy little cat, then she brought her clammy hands to her face and rubbed out the accumulated eye crust. As her eyes gradually opened and her vision came into focus, she realized she had company.

On her bed, with his head at her feet and his feet at her head, was her favorite cowboy, Irvine, in nothing but a too-tight pair of chicobo shorts and covered head to toe in what looked to be her favorite shade of lipstick, _Dining with the Devil_. The ruby red lines traced the outlines of his muscles, circled his nipples, and ran up to his head, which was hidden under his black cowboy hat. Selphie let out a small gasp of shock and brought her sheets up to her chest as she looked to her left.

On the floor lay what appeared to be Zell, one arm above his head, and one leg up on the bed. His hair had been completely violated, shaved on the sides with a thin strip running along the top, dyed a brownish red color. At various locations on his body were tiny white goose feathers, adhered to what looked like some kind of green slime, the same green slime which coated Quistis' once-flaxen hair from root to end.

Quistis sat slumped against the wall, half leaning on one of Selphie's favorite plush mog dolls. The admired and sophisticated former instructor's mouth hung slightly open, a light white crust making a trail from her mouth to her chin. Aside from her strange green-gelled hair, she had what looked like purple tiger stripes drawn on her face and limbs. Her boots, pants, and gloves were missing, leaving her with nothing but her trademark salmon vest and pink skirt, which had ridden up precariously in her sleep.

Selphie shook her heavy head and squinted as her surroundings seemed to be coated in gauzy glitter. She slowly crawled to the edge of the bed, doing her best not to awaken the slumbering man next to her. She gingerly stepped a foot down and padded over to the bathroom door, which was slightly ajar and the light still on. She pushed the door open, shrieked, and slammed it shut.

"Wha- huh- whassat?" Irvine sat up, his hat tumbling off his head, revealing a scarlet mouth and a squiggly diagonal line nearly dividing his face in two. He turned quickly toward the offending noise, knocking over some objects that had been resting underneath one of his striped legs. The objects: lipstick, markers, and a razor, fell onto the prostrate Zell, who snorted and sat up, arms reaching forward as if he were a zombie attempting to rise from the grave, yet lacking the core strength to do so in one fell swoop. Quistis groaned and halfheartedly shoved the innocent mog doll at her undead friend as she slowly fell to the floor and rolled onto her stomach.

Selphie slowly turned, taking tiny baby steps, and faced her guests. "Umm..." she began, her voice just a step below dog-whistle frequency. Her companions all looked at her, eyes glazed and reddened. Selphie finished her thought. "I think we might have done something bad."

A knock on the door caused all to jump in surprise, clutching their chests in unison. They stared at the door as if Ifrit had just bust in with maracas in his hands and a pineapple on his head. They sat unmoving until finally Zell spoke.

"S-Selphie… go-go answer the door." He grabbed the plush mog doll and held it in front of him as if it were a shield.

Selphie balked and looked at the door and back at her friends. "Why me?!" she whisper-screamed at them.

"It's your room! Wait…. Yeah, it's your room!" Zell countered after pausing to look around and double check. Selphie looked at her friends in silent defeat. She took a deep breath and heaved it out, then walked to the door like a cowboy walking into a saloon. She stood in front of the door a moment as her friends crawled onto the bed, huddling together out of sight of the door. The remnants of alcohol in their systems left them with a strange sense of fear and paranoia. Selphie started taking quick, short breaths, charging up her inner-strength before letting out one final breath, then she puffed her chest and pressed the open button on the panel. The door slid open, three distinct voices shouted in surprise, and she shut the door and jumped onto the bed with her friends, throwing the covers over top of them.

Unsure of what she had seen, her teammates welcomed her under the sheets, the four once-formidable heroes hiding from some unspeakable terror.

"Wha- what was it?" Irvine asked, shoulder drawn tight around himself.

Selphie's eyes flew wildly under the white sheets as she tried to understand just what was going on.

"It was Fujin and Raijin!"

"WHAT?!" the trio yelled at once.

"What are they _doing_ here?" Quistis demanded irately, though more from her hangover than from true irritation at their presence.

"And what about Seifer?" Irvine added.

" _Seifer_ ," Zell growled.

"It was just them two," Selphie replied.

"Well, what did they want?" Quistis continued her line of inquiry.

"I don't know, I just saw them and shut the door."

"Why did you shut the door?"

"I was _surprised_ ," Selphie defended herself.

"Well, come on, we can't let them run around Garden. What if they brought Seifer in here?" Quistis reasoned as she threw the makeshift tent off of them. Zell stood on the bed and brought a shaking fist of fury upward. They stopped and looked at their friend, suddenly taking in the fact that he was covered in white feathers and sporting a strange new hairstyle, not to mention how each of them looked.

But there was no time to question what had gone on in Selphie's room last night, they needed to find _the posse_. The four stood in front of Selphie's door, determination written across their features. Selphie once again punched the open button and six people once again shrieked and the door slid shut.

"Whoa..." Zell started as they looked at each other. "I was not expecting them to be standing _right there_."

"That's it," Quistis threw her hands in the air and opened the door for the third time. Fujin and Raijin still stood in the doorframe, mouths agape at the four creatures in front of them. "We need to talk," Quistis proclaimed as Zell and Irvine grabbed the duo by their shirt collars and pulled them into the horrorshow that was Selphie's dorm room.

* * *

"Alright, start talking," Zell demanded at the still quiet Fujin and Raijin. The pair sat on Selphie's unruly bed while the terrible foursome stood over them, arms crossed and gazes intent.

The two shot each other confused, uneasy glances.

"What do you mean, ya know?" Raijin finally began.

"What do you mean what do I mean?" Zell leaned in angrily, voice deepening with threat. "Ya know."

"You told us to come here," Fujin offered further explanation.

The four then stopped and exchanged skeptical glances.

"What are you talking about? We didn't talk to you two," Irvine insisted, scratching at his red cheek.

"Sure ya did, we saw ya last night," Raijin said to unconvinced faces. "In the training center," he continued.

"Training center..." Quistis mused as she looked up at the ceiling, searching her aching brain for some kind of memory.

"Yeah, you guys came bustin' in to the secret area shouting all ' _surprise!'_ and snapping pictures," Raijin continued, Fujin nodding in agreement.

"Pictures…" Selphie paused, looking up and scratching her head. She was suddenly aware that there was something in her hair. She poked at the object and her fingers followed it up to the top of her head where a boxy-feeling thing seemed to be attached. She pulled off the object and held a black digital camera in her hands, roughly tied to an old belt. She was also suddenly aware that her hands were coated in a sparkly silver powder.

"Yeah, yeah, then you guys went on about how you saw PuPu in the bushes and he had red eyes."

"PuPu..." Irvine scratched his chin as his eyes rolled upwards in thought. "Red… eyes..."

"Uh-huh. And then you guys started _freaking_ out about getting out the training center and summoned Ifrit-"

"Ifrit..." Zell pressed a finger and thumb to his jaw and tilted his head.

"-and you had him bust down the training center walls."

"HUH?!" The four confounded comrades gasped.

"Ohhhhh nonono oh no!" Quistis brought her hands to the sides of her face, pacing in the small space of the room and inadvertently rubbing off some of the drawn on tiger stripes.

"What are we gonna dooooo?" Selphie shrieked, hands in a similar fashion against her own cheeks.

Zell stood, mouth yet agape as he stared at the muscled man in front of them.

Irvine stood with one arm crossed in front of him and the other resting on his cheek as his eyes moved back and forth, contemplating the dire truth of their actions.

"Yeah, umm, it's kinda a mess out there, ya know. Grats running everywhere."

"GRATS!" Selphie suddenly shrieked, hands raised up in shock. Her five house guests looked at her as they waited for an explanation for the outburst. Selphie turned slowly, taking tiny baby steps, and waddled to the bathroom door. She turned to face the others, and grabbed the handle of the bathroom door, opening it all the way, revealing a wriggling grat in the bathtub, then quickly shut the door again.

The shocked teenagers in her room all gaped at each other, eyes and mouths wide open.

"WHAT DID YOU GUYS DO?" Raijin proclaimed. "YA KNOW?!"

Selphie slowly looked down at the camera still in her hand. She looked up again, realizing the others had all come to the same realization that she had.

"Selphie," Quistis stepped in front of her friend and held out a waiting hand. "Give me the camera."

* * *

The six young men and women sat huddled around the tiny digital camera held in Quistis' hands and watched wordlessly as the entire previous night played out in full technicolor. When the time finally ran to the end, 2 hours and 11 minutes later, Quistis finally gave in to the urge she had been fighting since she first woke up, and puked in Selphie's PuPu trash can.

Selphie slowly stood, taking the camera from Quistis. She lay it on the floor and grabbed her nunchaku, hung on a hook next to her wardrobe. She held both powerful sticks together and brought it down hard on the camera, cracking it down the middle, then brought it down again until it was completely severed in two. Then she walked to her closet, pulled out a small gray lock box, put the remains of the camera inside, and shut it, wordlessly putting it at the bottom of her closet underneath piles of unfolded clothes. She held up the key for all to see, then walked to the window and threw them out.

"To the grave," she said in a deep and deliberate voice.

Silence filled the room as all mentally locked away the memories of the horrors they had seen on the little black camera.

"Anyway," Raijin continued, breaking the group from their disgusted reverie. "Now you see what we were talkin' about. You promised us you'd put in a good word with Cid, ya know."

"It's time," Fujin added, standing and crossing her arms.

"Okay, okay," Quistis held a hand up, pushing herself up with the other one. "We'll take you to talk to the headmaster." Fujin and Raijin let out a relieved breath and gave each other a reassuring nod. "But first… let us get cleaned up. Please."

* * *

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	4. Chapter 4

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* * *

 _Knock, knock, knock_. Rinoa jerked upright in her bed, hair mussed and sheets tangled amongst her limbs.

"Who is it?" She shouted, eyes still wrapped in a veil of sleep.

"It's Selphie!" A high pitched voice sang through the metallic door. Rinoa combed her fingers through her bangs, pushing them to the side as she inched her aching body to the edge of the bed. She looked at the partially open bathroom door and winced recalling her nightmare. She peered down at her hands, checking once more that they were still human. She sighed loudly in relief, her breath blowing her bangs upward.

"Coming," she called, voice raspy and low with exhaustion. She stood in front of the door a moment as she straightened her oversized nightshirt and shorts. She reached to the o _pen_ button on her left and a few static-laden strands of hair followed the door as it whooshed open.

"Hey, sleepyhead. Sorry to wake ya, I didn't think you'd still be asleep. It's almost 12."

Rinoa yawned and spoke at the same time, "Don't worry about it, Selphie. I thought I set my alarm. Did you want to come in?"

"Thanks!" Selphie bounced through the door past Rinoa and plopped onto the disheveled bed. Rinoa's nose twitched as she picked up a faint whiff of alcohol on her ever-bubbly friend. "Sleep well?" Selphie asked innocently, clueless to the fact that Rinoa had in fact not slept very well at all. Rinoa smiled at the bubbly girl as she joined her on the bed, tucking one leg beneath her.

"Yeah," she lied, not wanting to divulge the details of her less than adequate sleep. She'd been having nightmares for weeks now it seemed. They weren't all the same, though. They differed, relating somehow to her powers and Squall and time compression. The first couple of nights after she awoke from her coma, she didn't dream at all. But it wasn't like a normal dreamless sleep; the nights were just empty and hollow like a forgotten cave. Or vast and dark. Like space. She shuddered internally at the memory of space.

"Did you have fun at the party last night?" She asked, eager to change the subject.

"Huh-what? Why, what have you heard?" Selphie suddenly demanded, paranoia streaking her features. Rinoa's eyes bulged momentarily as she looked at her friend.

"Ah.. um nothing. I just meant, um… did you have a good time?" Rinoa asked again, unsure of what she had said that sparked Selphie's strange response.

Selphie's demeanor shifted again as she realized what Rinoa had meant. "Oh! Aha ha, yeah, um it was awesome! The girls did a great job of setting it up!" The girls to whom Selphie referred were the new members of the Garden Festival Committee, Aya and Merina. After the festival at FH, they developed a light obsession with Selphie and joined the committee immediately. They also began to frequent Selphie's website. "What about you? You left kinda early. And _Squall_ also seemed to mysteriously disappear. If I didn't know you two better as the upstanding young adults you are, I would have suspected you two of no-good riff-raff," Selphie teased, wiggling a finger and winking one slightly glittery eye.

Rinoa blushed. "Selphie, please! I was just... really tired." She figured she'd leave the complete truth out of the conversation this morning. "I don't know how you guys managed to party so late into the night."

"Ah haha… yeah… well, we were just really happy to be back home I guess," Selphie swallowed, looking shiftily to the left and right. "Anyway, have you looked outside? Isn't it awesome?!"

Rinoa's head twitched to the side in question. "Awesome?"

"Take a look." Selphie gestured to the drawn shades. Rinoa walked over, pulling them wide open. Large mountains filled the entire window, the snow-covered peaks gleaming in the bright sunlight.

"Oh my goodness, what- where are we?" She exclaimed, her mouth agape.

Selphie let out a little giggle. "Trabia. Home sweet home. Cid announced this morning that we'd stay here until after the World Conference."

Rinoa turned from the window. "World Conference?"

"Yeah, he told us about it on the PA this morning. You didn't hear it? Hyne, you must have been dead to the world."

"You have no idea," Rinoa muttered. Selphie remained oblivious.

"Anyway, the gang and I are having lunch at noon-thirty. Interested?"

"Sure. I could really use some coffee." Rinoa brought a smile to her weary face.

"Great! I'll see you in a bit then." Selphie stood and waved as she exited. Rinoa smiled at her retreating form and raised her hands up, stretching her tense back and cracking her neck.

"Oh!" Selphie popped her head back inside the room. "And you might want to bring your pinwheel along. Some of the monsters from the training center seem to have found a way out. Okay, byyeee!"

Rinoa stared after her friend and cocked her head in confusion, then shrugged. She really needed a massage. She plunged back onto the twisted sheets and closed her eyes. Her nightmare crept slowly into her thoughts and she started, opening her eyes and looking over to the bathroom door, checking that it was still unoccupied. She shook the dark thoughts from her head and pushed herself up, moving to the dresser, on top of which her brush lay, and commenced the morning ritual. Angelo hopped out of her sleeping chair and padded up to Rinoa expectantly. Rinoa smiled and patted her trusty companion on the head.

"Alright, Angelo, let's get your breakfast."

* * *

. . . . . . . .

* * *

Rinoa tucked her weapon away as she walked into the boisterous cafeteria. She had taken Selphie's advice and brought along her pinwheel, and was thankful she did. A hyperactive and aggressive grat had stalked her from the dorms, and she started her day by slicing a carnivorous plant into mulch. Not her most eventful pre-lunch activity, but still. She did her best to keep her face serene as she scanned the tables for her comrades. She smiled as she spotted Selphie's bouncing form waving from across the room. Zell and Irvine sat beside her in a seemingly heated discussion, Zell with a strange new hairstyle, about which Rinoa eagerly awaited to hear the story of how it had cropped up, or rather cropped down, overnight. Rinoa smiled and waved back in acknowledgment and pointed toward the menu, conveying her desire for food, although she lacked any form of it. She wasn't sure whether anyone had noticed, but her appetite had waned significantly ever since she woke up from her short coma. It hadn't been very long, but she already noticed her clothes becoming a bit loose.

She turned to the overhead screen, displaying the items of the day. One thing was less appealing than the last. She figured she should do her best to eat something regardless, and aimed for something that would hopefully slide down easy. She asked for yogurt and a banana, and after thinking a moment, added a hotdog. She wouldn't eat it, but Zell sure as hell would. She also grabbed some coffee before heading over to her friends.

"Zell, you must have been hallucinating. It was during time compression anyway, and you can't believe anything you see there because –"

"It wasn't a hallucination! It couldn't have been. It seemed so real. Disgustingly so," Zell cut Irvine off. Rinoa raised an eyebrow as she sat down next to Selphie.

"Hallucinations? Are you licking frogs again, Zell?" Rinoa laughed.

Zell sighed in frustration, "It was NOT a hallucination. It had to be FROM the –"

"Hey everyone," Quistis waved tiredly as she walked over with a tray of food balanced in her hand. She sat down heavily in her chair before bringing a hand up to her temple and blowing out a gentle sigh. Zell suddenly sat back, and filled his mouth with french fries.

Irvine tipped his hat from his spot next to Selphie, one arm ever-wrapped around her, "Hey Quistis, how's your head?"

"Nnnghhh," she replied as she took a bite of dry toast. "How are you guys alive right now? I'm absolutely dying after last night." The normally composed and poised Quistis sat before her friends like a wilted palm tree.

"Geez, you guys really had a night, huh?" Rinoa asked eager to hear the tale. "And Zell, what happened to your hair?" Zell's normally meticulously groomed coif now was a muddled light brownish-orange, with the sides shaved off, and the top matted down against his head like a depressed mohawk.

He swiped a self-conscious hand across his ruined head. "Yeah, umm, I-uh..." he glanced slowly at the others at the table, who looked back at him, ever, ever so slightly shaking there heads. "… Just wanted to try something new," he finished, quickly grabbing another handful of fries and stuffing them into his face.

Rinoa squinted her eyes suspiciously at her friend. "Okay…"

She observed her friends as their demeanor suddenly changed to one of secrecy, and a lightbulb suddenly switched on in her mind.

"Wait...did you guys have something to do with the monsters getting out of the training center?!" Rinoa suddenly gaped at her friends as their sidelong glances and lack of words told her everything. Irvine, Quistis, Zell, and Selphie sat with their heads down like reprimanded children peeking at their partners in crime to ensure they stood together in their silence. Rinoa brought a hand to her mouth but couldn't stop a strained laugh from escaping. Soon, she collapsed into laughter as her friends slowly joined her, devolving the table into a horrible mess of laughing hyenas. The students at their surrounding tables gave off curious glances and annoyed glares. Rinoa wiped her eyes as their laughter slowly subsided. She was glad to have something to smile about and take her mind off her terrible nightmare. She scooped at her yogurt as she watched her friends. They had gone about eating their meals in silence, when Rinoa couldn't take it anymore. "Seriously though, you guys. What happened last night?" She repeated her question, this time more intent on hearing an answer.

The four looked furtively at each other until Selphie finally spoke. "We... plead the fifth," she quickly said as she brought a cup of coffee to her lips.

"Seriously?" Rinoa asked, incredulous.

"Well," Selphie began as she put her cup down and looked up in an effort to portray some semblance of strength. "Let's just say… Estharian wine is no joke- oh hey! It's Xu!" Selphie exclaimed, waving over the older SeeD and grateful to have someone to redirect the topic of conversation. Xu spotted the group and waved back, walking over with her tray in hand.

"Hey, everyone. Did you see all the monsters out there?" She paused, waiting for a response and receiving none. The guilty quartet sat in fearful silence. "Cid's not too happy about this. He's rounded up all the staff to try to piece together what happened." She paused again, greeted by another strained silence. "Yeah, someone's about to be in some serious trouble," she went on, seemingly oblivious that she was talking to and about the same people. The collective faces of everyone at the table suddenly turned ashen. Nobody spoke a word as Xu went on, rambling about the possible repercussions the perpetrators would soon be facing: solitary confinement, scrubbing the training room floors, missions on the Island Closest to Heaven, public humiliation...

She suddenly ceased her list of doom as she spotted and waved to someone across the room, not even realizing no one had replied to her and waved a quick goodbye. "Anyway, see you later… and, uh… nice haircut, Zell," she commented skeptically as she walked off.

The group, Rinoa included, sat in contemplative silence, gazes shifting from the floor, to the other spot on the floor, and that other spot on the floor. Slowly they started eating again, a pall hanging heavy.

"Oooh, you guys!" Selphie chimed in suddenly a few minutes later, clapping her hands as she spoke. "We should tooootally go to the Trabian ice chutes!" Her concerns of punishment had apparently dissipated with the promise of cold Trabian weather.

"The wha?" Zell asked, jaw slack and half-chewed hot dog displayed.

"Eww, swallow your food before you open your mouth," Rinoa said in joking disgust. She picked up a fry off Zell's plate and threw it at him.

"Yeah," Irvine leaned in. "Didn't your mom ever tell you to keep your mouth closed when you talk?" Zell started to choke on his food as the others laughed. Quistis patted him on the back mercifully and he took a few deep breaths before holding a shaking fist up at the cowboy.

"But really, you guys! The Trabian ice chutes are the best. Some of my favorite childhood memories of Trabia are in that place."

"What are they?" Rinoa asked as she blew on her coffee and took a small sip.

"They're just like slides. They're naturally made by some of the harmless native animals in the area called penluks. They look kind of like a cross between a bird and a seal, but they can't fly, and they slide on their bellies while the snow melts and freezes, creating these tunnels. They're all intertwiney and when you go down them it's like z _oooosh – whhhhrrr – wheeeeeeee_!" Selphie's arms moved left and right with her sound effects and finished straight up in the air.

"That sounds fun, but, kind of dangerous," Quistis, ever the voice of reason, was inclined to comment.

"Aww don't be a fuddy-duddy, Quisty," Irvine chimed in. "We're grown men and women. We've fought monsters and sorceresses and flew through time. We're entitled to a little fun, the risks be damned!" He slammed his left fist on the table with his strong declaration, the other still wrapped around Selphie, whose arms were stuck up in the air, and her eyes all alight.

"You know, that really does sound like fun," Rinoa said. She'd never done anything so exciting before, not counting saving the world. The thought of slipping and sliding through icy tunnels sounded like just the thing to take her mind off all her worries.

"Hey Squall!" Zell called out suddenly, waving with his left hand and shoving a hot dog in his mouth with the other. Squall walked over slowly with a tray consisting of a sandwich, salad, and coffee.

"Hey," Squall replied civilly as he took the empty seat next to Rinoa. Rinoa blushed inadvertently and tried to ignore her intense sensitivity to his body heat.

"We were just talking about going to the ice chutes later tonight," Selphie told him informatively, her arms now firmly in her lap.

"Now you want to go at night? Oh, Selphie. Do you just sit down and think of how to make dangerous situations even more dangerous?" Quistis shook her head, stabbing a tomato with her fork.

"What's so dangerous about it, Quisty? I used to go there all the time when I was little, and no one ever got hurt, _cough, cough, twitch_."

"Selphie…"

"What?"

"You're lying."

"No, I'm not."

"Selphie, I know you're lying."

"Ha, no, I'm not."

"Selphie…"

" _What?_ "

"You always do that when you lie."

"Do _what_? And no, I'm not!" Selphie crossed her arms. Irvine tipped his hat down over his face, but it didn't cover his smirk.

"You cough."

"I what?" Selphie produced a fake chuckle in an attempt to cover herself.

"And you twitch."

"I do NOT… twitch!"

" _Cough, cough, twitch_ ," Quistis imitated. "Come on. Tell us."

"Yeah, Sefie, 'fess up. I mean if kids were gettin' eaten by rabid ice horkers or something in those chutes, I think I'd rather just find a nice frosty pub with some of those legendary busty Trabian ladies," Zell commented as he made the hand motions and everything.

"No! It's nothing like that – it's, umm… Ok, fine! Every now and then there's a cave-in. It's very rare though and only happens mid-summer… which just passed, so it's perfect timing!"

"Oh my god!" Rinoa gasped wide-eyed at her friend, hand to her chest in shock. "Did anyone ever die?"

"Well, no, but… a couple of kids got stuck for a day or two until the grown-ups were able to chisel down to them." Selphie chuckled lightly in an attempt to lighten the situation and scratched her head in a "nonchalant" way. "But I swear, this summer has been the coldest ever in Trabia, and cave-ins are really, _really_ rare. Plus, you can see the places that are likely to go and, well, we're all smart, right? We can avoid those risky spots."

The group looked at each other dubiously. Selphie's eyes grew wide and her lower lip puffed out. She brought her clasped hands pleadingly to her chin as she looked each of her comrades square in the eye. Irvine and Zell were quick to give in.

"Well, I guess you're right. This summer has been cold and, well, we are pretty smart," Zell said and rubbed his chin in pride.

"Yeah, we can at least check it out and see if it looks safe," Irvine said logically. Selphie smiled brightly at him and turned her gaze to Quistis.

"Selphie," she began, rolling her eyes at Selphie's lame attempt to sway her. "No, Selphie." Selphie's eyes grew larger, her lip more puffed. Quistis sighed. "Selphie – no, _sigh_ – Hyne. Squall, please say something to her."

"Like what?" Squall asked blandly, shrugging. He'd been watching the conversation in quiet amusement. He'd already made the decision in his mind.

"Like 'no'," Quistis replied matter-of-factly.

"… Why not?" Quistis all but slack-jawed at the comment. "I don't see why they shouldn't go. As long as they're careful. And they are SeeDs after all, and- you know, smart. I'm sure they can handle themselves." Selphie's puppy eyes turned starry as she stared admiringly at Squall.

"Ohhhh fine! But I'm only going to make sure you don't fall into some ice pit and freeze to death," Quistis conceded.

"Rinoa, you'll come too, right?" Selphie turned toward Rinoa ready to turn on her puppy eyes if need be.

"Sure! It sounds like fun!" Rinoa was genuinely excited. She clasped her hands together at the thought of the coming night.

"And you Squall?" Selphie turned to the last remaining member yet to say yes. Squall looked up at her briefly, then back at his salad.

"Sure," he said simply. The group froze in surprise, eyes wide and sharing the same internal thought.

"Wow, I didn't think it'd be that easy," Selphie vocalized.

The group turned back to their meals, plans for the coming night solidified.

"… What happened to your hair, Zell?"

* * *

. . . . . . . .


	5. Chapter 5

. . . . . . . .

* * *

Fujin and Raijin stood at attention in front of Headmaster Cid Kramer. The older man circled the two, studying them, like a hawk watching its prey. The two dropouts had come flanked by four of the six heroes of time compression, who had spoken calmly and confidently that the two should be allowed to re-enroll, their actions during the recent debacle forgiven, and a new chance at a bright future granted.

Cid had been shocked to say the least. Shocked that the two were even on board, and shocked that four of the people who had battled against them time and time again would stand in their defense. Cid studied the two intently, contemplating what to do with them.

"So," he finally spoke, coming to a stop in front of them. "You two have stolen aboard Garden." He paused as he waited for a response. The two former cadets nodded silently. "You've come alone, and you wish to re-enroll at Garden as cadets." He paused again and they nodded again. "You two, who have abandoned Garden once before, following a tyrannical ex-student, and doing his bidding fighting my SeeDs." He peered at them over his spectacles. Fujin's lips tensed into a thin straight line as she looked straight ahead and nodded. Raijin did his best to appear strong, shoulders drawn back, and head up as he, too, nodded. Tiny beads of perspiration had appeared and begun trickling down the side of his shaved head. "And now you want to come back, alongside those very same SeeDs you fought, and stand with them as comrades?"

"Yes, sir," Fujin spoke.

"Yes, sir," Raijin said in kind.

"And just how can I be sure that the same won't happen again? Hm? How can I know that betrayal doesn't run as thick in your blood as it runs red?" He paused, waiting for a response. Accepting these students back would not be a frivolous allowance. If he couldn't trust his SeeDs, he might as well close the doors of the academy now and whisk himself and his wife away to live a quiet life back on Centra.

"Sir," Fujin began, "We were wrong, and we know that now. There's no excuse for what we did. We can only hope that we can show our loyalty to Garden by starting again and becoming SeeDs." Raijin nodded his head in agreement, his shoulders broadening again in determination.

"I see. So I am to let this kind of behavior go without punishment?" He watched the two teenagers squirm as they realized forgiveness wasn't that simple.

"We'll take our punishment, ya know," Raijin said, body seizing up at the slip of his trademark casual phrase. "I mean… we'll accept our punishment..." He bit his lip as he struggled to keep in those last two syllables.

Cid couldn't hide a tiny smirk. He felt the genuine regret in the two former students, and he did like to think of himself as a kind and compassionate man.

"Well," Cid began as he turned to stand squarely in front of them once again. "I'd like to think of Balamb Garden as a place where second chances are granted. To those who are _worthy_ ," he continued, emphasizing the last point. "Don't think for a second that I'll ever forget your actions during the Second Sorceress War," he said sharply like a father scolding his children. Fujin and Raijin felt the full effects of his words as they looked to the ground in mutual shame. They regretted their actions, of course, but at the same time, they were proud to have stood by their friend. Loyalty was hard to come by in this world, and for a time, they seemed to have that in spades. But after a while, they came to realize that though they had been loyal to Seifer, his loyalties to them were fading. His goals had changed. His dreams had morphed into something dark. And though they tried, they just weren't able to bring him back.

"Alright then," Cid clasped his hands behind his back as he looked at the two teenagers in front of him. He had a feeling that this time, they wouldn't make any mistakes. "Welcome back."

Fujin and Raijin let out light sighs and shared a relieved grin.

"Just one question," Cid began, as the two cadets stood at attention. He crossed his arms as he formulated his thoughts. "Do either of you… have any idea where Seifer is?"

Fujin was honestly surprised that hadn't been the headmaster's first question. "No, sir," she replied honestly.

"Yeah, no, sir, ya know," Raijin repeated her sentiment.

Cid nodded as he turned to his desk, reaching for a bauble and shifting it a few degrees. "When did you last see him?" Cid inquired further.

The duo shared a look, before Fujin spoke, "Balamb Harbor, sir. He disappeared unexpectedly." She'd never forget the feeling of loss when they woke up in their Balamb hotel room and Seifer was gone. After all their years together, and how Fujin and Raijin had stuck with him and had his back and returned to him after everything, he still abandoned them. He didn't even say goodbye.

Cid nodded as he contemplated her response. "And do you have any idea where he might have gone?"

The two friends looked at each other before responding. "We can't be sure, ya know, but we think he mighta gone to FH," Raijin said.

Cid nodded slowly, grateful for one small clue to finding Seifer. "Alright. Thank you. You are dismissed. Talk to Instructor Durrow about your new dorm rooms," he instructed as he walked behind his desk.

"Oh, and one more thing..." he stopped, raising a finger. The two waited, afraid that their door of opportunity would come slamming shut. "I may require special help from you sometime in the upcoming weeks. Be prepared for my orders. That is all."

* * *

. . . . . . . .

* * *

Squall waited patiently as Cid's secretary alerted him of the commander's arrival. Squall had barely finished his lunch when he was requested to the headmaster's office. He wasn't quite sure what it could be about. He'd already given the necessary reports and was nearly done with the paperwork. It couldn't be a new mission already. As per protocol, a SeeD is required to take a week's absence from missions after completing one. During that time, the SeeD must have mandatory meetings with the Garden psychiatrist, as well as get a check-up with Dr. Kadowaki or another available doctor to ensure no contamination or sickness was acquired during their mission. The SeeD should continue to train as usual, but not push themselves in case of post-traumatic stress. Perhaps it had something to do with the re-stationing of Garden in Trabia or the World Conference.

"Squall, thank you for coming. Please, have a seat," Cid greeted Squall as he gestured to the seat in front of his desk. Cid's new office was a bit smaller than the last one. After the bridge popped through the middle of the headmaster's old office, he'd had a new one scrounged up. It looked like it might have been an old storage room. Squall tried to keep his eyes from wandering toward the metal walls and dark gray ceiling. He saluted Cid formally and took the seat he'd offered. Cid smiled and sat down opposite him at his own desk. He placed his hands one on top of the other and looked at Squall.

"So. How are you, Squall?" He began casually. Squall held in his annoyance at the pleasantries.

"I'm fine, sir, thank you… And you?"

"Oh, fine, fine, of course. But I mean more than just 'how are you'. I mean… How are you? Emotionally? With time compression, Rinoa, and your knighthood and all that. Well, I guess it's all still new so maybe it hasn't quite sunk in yet," Cid jabbered. Squall did his best to listen attentively and politely. The truth was it hadn't sunk in yet. They'd only just gotten back. It'd been a little over a week since he offered his services as a knight to Rinoa. Although it wasn't official or anything, but how does one make such a thing official? Was he supposed to get down on one knee and bow his head while Rinoa tapped his shoulders with his gunblade? He decided to take a stab at honesty and spoke.

"Honestly sir, I'm not sure. It is still a little new. We're still settling back in at Garden and recuperating. Mostly, I'm just glad it's all over." Squall surprised himself. He didn't know it could be so easy to lay his feelings bare, especially to a man he'd simply considered a figure of authority for so long.

Cid nodded, brows furrowed in contemplation. "I see, I see. Well, in regards to it all feeling too new to be sure, that's understandable. The two of you haven't really gotten much time to spend together. And that is what a sorceress-knight relationship is about, really. You must spend some time together and learn to understand each other's thoughts without even speaking. It's in the eyes," Cid said as he tilted his head down and stared at Squall for emphasis. "I think you should try to find some time for just the two of you to get to know each other better. Nothing too serious," he added quickly as he shook both of his hands in a defensive motion. "Just… take her to dinner or out dancing."

"You mean like a date, sir?" Squall's eyebrow lifted involuntarily. He never expected to be getting dating advice from his headmaster.

"Well, yes, I suppose. You could call it that." Cid stopped a moment and removed his glasses. His demeanor changed from one of paternal adviser to wise authority figure. "As for the second part... I'm afraid you're a little off the mark. It's not over yet…" he trailed off as he stared at one of the knick-knacks on his desk. Squall waited patiently for a moment… then looked intently at Cid's face. Something wasn't right. Cid's eyes held something foreboding in them.

"Sir?" Squall said sharply, snapping Cid from his reverie. Cid's frosty blue eyes flicked up at Squall, unabashed. He went on carefully.

"The world council meeting is pivotal in Rinoa's future. I just received an email from President Loire regarding the topics to be discussed. The new sorceress, of course, is of special significance. I'm not sure if you've been watching any broadcasts these past couple of days," Cid paused for Squall's answer. Squall shook his head. He'd been pretty beat and devoted his time to resting, eating, and… resting. "A lot of talk has gone around. It's common knowledge that Edea is now without Hyne's powers. But it's also common knowledge that a sorceress' powers do not simply evaporate into thin air, but they pass on. The world knows that there is a new sorceress out there. And due to the circumstances of Edea's loss of powers, they know that it can only be someone from either Balamb or Galbadia Garden." Squall listened attentively. After all the time that had passed since the Battle of the Gardens, he never stopped to think about what a civilian's reaction might be. And given the circumstances of the very recent war, a new sorceress would only inspire fear in the hearts of the populace.

"Sir, who all is aware of Rinoa's powers?" Squall asked, careful to keep the fear and anger from rising into his speech.

Cid spoke calmly, understanding the turmoil the young man must be going through. "Well, in Balamb Garden there are the six of you, Rinoa included, Edea, myself, and Dr. Kadowaki. As far as the student body goes, they know only that Rinoa was injured and held in the infirmary for a few days. In Esthar… Laguna had a list made and promised that they were all sworn to secrecy."

"How many?"

"Around 30." Squall took an involuntary breath. "Some are from the palace, and the majority are from the Sorceress Memorial and the space station."

"Sir," Squall started, afraid of the answer. "What's going to happen to Rinoa?"

"If all goes as planned, nothing. Laguna feels certain, as do Edea and I, that we can persuade every nation that Rinoa is not a threat."

"Her identity is to be revealed," Squall stated, realization dawning.

"We don't have a choice. The other nation's leaders are aware that we know who she is. If we refused to divulge the information it would seem like we were covering it up. She'd become a target simply for the fact that we refuse to reveal her. It's the safest choice."

"… What's the best case scenario?" Squall asked.

"Best case scenario… she'd live a normal life. Her identity kept secret by those who attend the meeting. We at Garden would likely be expected to keep some kind of tabs on her-"

"So she'd still be a prisoner. Followed around, always being watched." Cid sighed at Squall's response. He knew it'd be hard to hear, but it was better that he hear it now from him, than later when he might not be able to control himself. "What's the worst case scenario?" Squall asked, ready to accept reality no matter how ugly it might be.

Cid swallowed, unwilling but obligated to tell the truth to the young knight. He suddenly feared for his burgeoning snow globe collection on his desk. "She'd be taken back to the Sorceress Memorial."

Squall stood suddenly and quickly, his chair pushed back a few inches from the force. Cid stood in kind, ready to do his best to restrain the boy if need be.

"Squall, I understand it's-"

"I understand, sir," Squall said simply, his voice low and tense at his attempt at control. Cid was concerned, but walked around the desk to face the boy. Squall stared straight ahead, his jaw clenched.

"Squall, I want you to come to the conference." Squall turned to look at the headmaster. Cid looked straight back at him, conveying as best he could that he was serious. "There's not a doubt in my mind that Rinoa will be free." Squall held in his comment. She wouldn't be free. Even if they let her be, she'd never be free. Not now. "Laguna, Edea, and I will not let anything happen to Rinoa. You have my word." He paused and waited for a reaction. None came. "If you come, Squall, you may be able to help Rinoa's case. You're only teenagers for Hyne's sake. If they can see that, maybe it'll appeal to their merciful side."

"Understood, sir," Squall saluted the headmaster as he readied himself to walk out of the room while he was still able to control himself. He began to turn as the headmaster called to him.

"Squall. Don't tell Rinoa. She doesn't need to worry herself about such a thing, not in her condition. Tell her that she's free to stay at Garden for as long as she wishes… It's going to be _fine_ , Squall." Squall nodded and walked out of the room.

Cid sighed and rubbed his head. Their talk had gone a little bumpier than the headmaster had wished, but still. It was over. Cid never considered himself a cowardly man, but when it comes to a knight and his sorceress, it's hard to tell how they'll react. But he knew. Squall would tell Rinoa. He'd have done the same.

* * *

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	6. Chapter 6

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* * *

"Uhhm, just a minute!" She quickly swiped the towel over her damp skin and threw on some shorts and a tank top. She wrapped her wet hair with the towel before grabbing a dark blue cardigan off the floor. She walked to the door, thought better of the towel on her head, threw it into the bathroom, and simply tied her hair up. She fluffed the cardigan up at the shoulders, in an effort to dry the remaining moisture from her arms, then proceeded to the door. Squall stood with an amused expression gracing his face. A small smirk crept up the corners of his mouth.

"Sorry to intrude…" Rinoa blushed under his gaze and shook her head as she swept a hand toward the room, inviting him in.

"No, not at all," she spoke and stepped aside. She felt her face flush as he walked passed her. His smell was intoxicating. Was it his cologne? She walked past him to her bed and sat, looking expectantly at him. He followed her lead and sat as well. Heat seemed to emanate from her and he took care to sit just far enough that her magnetism wouldn't pull him in, but not so far that he couldn't smell the light perfume of her damp locks. He swallowed before speaking.

"So I went to Cid's office," he began. He clasped his hands between his legs, angling himself toward the wall in an attempt at formality. Rinoa was oblivious to his efforts, and sat facing him, one leg tucked underneath her, eyes wide with attention.

"What did he want?" she questioned. Her heartbeat sped, and she wasn't quite sure if it was from anticipation of his answer, or the almost palpable static she felt in the space between their bodies.

"Laguna has called for a world conference regarding the war. Among the topics discussed will be you…" Rinoa's face crinkled in concern.

"Should I be worried? What are they going to say about me? I thought nobody knew?" She was feeling light-headed. She knew this would come up eventually, but God she didn't want it to. Her eyes turned to the floor as her mind raced.

"No, no. I mean, Cid doesn't seem very concerned and I don't think we should be either. Nobody except for us and a few people in Esthar know about you. I don't know if you've been watching the news lately, but the public is well aware of the succession of powers from Edea to another woman and, well, they're a little afraid… they want answers." Squall paused, wondering if he should do something comforting. Touch her shoulder? Hug her? What do people do in these situations?

He continued slowly, doing his best to gauge her reaction in order to act accordingly, or at least attempt to. "Cid has said you'll be allowed to stay at Garden. This is the safest place for you. You don't have to worry." He smiled hoping that news would uplift her. Her eyes remained fixed on the floor.

"So… at this meeting… everyone there's gonna find out it's me?" Squall was torn as he looked at Rinoa's ashen face and red-rimmed eyes. She looked kind of… awful. He decided to take a stab at compassion and slowly reached his hand out and placed it on top of hers.

"Don't worry, Rinoa. I'm going to protect you no matter what. Laguna's on our side and your father is a higher up in the Galbadian government. We have the three most powerful nations already 100% behind you. Plus, I'm going to the conference too, and if anyone says anything negative – swish, bam – I'll knock 'em good for you." Squall smiled and hoped his attempt at humor cheered up his broken angel. Rinoa smiled and linked her fingers through his. She looked up at him, her feeling of dread dissipating as a light euphoria consumed her. It was hard to believe that a few short months ago, this man in front of her didn't bother to mince his words when it came to the truth, regardless of how it made his companions feel. Now, here he sat, understanding her concern and doing his best to wipe it away. Their eyes locked and she felt her heart fluttering as they inched closer, electricity building as their bodies neared…

A knock on the door prevented the two teenagers from closing the short distance between their lips. Rinoa froze in place and opened her pained eyes. Squall's eyes were also open, looking downward. Was he as frustrated as she was right now? She sighed and rose, walking to the door. She hit the open button, revealing the former sorceress Edea.

"Oh, hi, Mrs. Kramer, how are you?" Rinoa smiled, embarrassed, greeting Edea formally. Edea laughed and waved a hand in dismissal.

"No need for formality, Rinoa. Call me Matron. That's what the others have been doing and that'll do for you, too. May I come in? I'd like to speak with you about something."

"Oh. Please," Rinoa gestured hesitantly inward. Edea moved past her and smiled at Squall.

"Hello, Matron," Squall said politely, waving awkwardly, to which Edea replied with a slight nod. He didn't know what she'd think about him being in Rinoa's room and was suddenly incredibly self-conscious. "Well, I should go, Rinoa," he said quietly as he began inching to the door. Rinoa nodded and clasped her left elbow with her right hand. She took a slow breath through her nose as he walked by and her body tingled as his hand brushed hers with a silent goodbye. The door slid shut and Rinoa turned to Edea as she sat in the empty desk chair, waiting for Rinoa to sit in front of her on the bed. Rinoa sat, thoughts of her encounter with Squall fading, and eager to hear what the wise woman had to say. She'd heard so much from the others about her, and seeing as how they had something very rare in common, she felt she could benefit greatly from her.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to interrupt, but I didn't get the chance to speak with you before. I remember when I first acquired my powers, I was confused and angry. I was very young and lucky that my mother was there to help me through such a rough time. And now I'm going to be here for you. Plus, having gone through the process myself, I can give you a little more insight than most other counselors." Edea smiled at Rinoa, who was pleasantly surprised at the offer. She _was_ going through a hard time. She thought she'd be doing it all herself.

"Thank you, Mrs. Kr- Matron, that's actually perfect. I really appreciate it."

"Certainly. Now, firstly I must ask, how are you?" Rinoa raised her eyebrows and shook the surprise off her face again. She didn't think the questions would be so generic.

"Oh! Um. I'm fine." She let out a soft laugh. "A little tired, a little sore, but who isn't at this point?"

"You haven't been sleeping well?" Rinoa looked at her hands, clasped in her lap. She couldn't lie or bend the truth. It was written all over her weary face.

"Well, no, I guess I haven't." She didn't relish admitting her suffering. She wasn't looking for a pity-party.

"You've been having nightmares about your powers," Edea stated. Did she really lose her abilities? Because it sure seemed like she was a mind-reader at this moment. Rinoa looked up at Edea, unable to hide her pain. Tears welled up in her eyes and she tried to keep them in. She nodded, not wanting to speak, lest her voice crack.

"It's actually one of the most common symptoms a new sorceress displays. I had them too, when I was young. They went away relatively quickly for me, but my powers were not as formidable as yours are. The more power a sorceress has, the more subconscious warning she'll give herself."

"Warning?"

"Yes, that's what the nightmares are. As you know, every sorceress has a knight. Their relationship is crucial to the sorceress' mental well-being. The knight is the protector. Keeping her safe from harm both within the sorceress and without. Until I met Cid, my mother was the equivalent of my knight. She was my confidant, my best friend, and now that she's gone, Cid has taken that place. However, the knight-sorceress relationship is a slippery slope. If the two become so entrenched in each other that they forget the life outside of themselves, the sorceress no longer cares about anything or anyone else. Jealousy and greed spawn from this kind of relationship. You know of one sorceress to whom this happened." Edea paused and waited for the recognition in Rinoa's eyes. She nodded when she saw it.

"Adel and her knight, Caius, were madly in love. She was young when she acquired her powers, about the age you are now. She met Caius not long afterward. She loved him for his charm, his looks, and his talent. She was blind to the fact that he only loved her for her powers. She declared him her knight, and before long, they became so deeply interwoven in their give and take relationship, that they merged, spiritually and physically." Rinoa stared wide-eyed as Edea spoke. She never thought about the fact that Adel lacked a knight in the history books. She never would have imagined why.

"That is an example of a sorceress and knight relationship in which the sorceress rejected all humanity besides her knight. What do you think would happen if a sorceress lost her knight?" Rinoa shrugged and shook her head as she waited eagerly for Edea's answer.

"This happened to the sorceress you know as Ultimecia. In her past, and the world's future, Ultimecia met and fell in love with her future knight, Erro. Her name, before his death, was Nasrin. They met when they were teenagers and married on the cusp of adulthood. A few years later, Nasrin became a sorceress. With the help of her knight, she maintained her sanity, and lived quietly and peacefully on the continent of Centra. They lived alone for many years. One day, Erro was tragically killed. Nasrin was beside herself with grief. All she knew, all she ever loved was him and the thought of a life without him tore her apart. She lived for years on her own, slowly spiraling into madness. The lack of a knight left her vulnerable to her own mind. One day, she left her house she had shared with him, and set it on fire. The villagers came to help put it out, but she stopped them, brutally. She burned the entire village to the ground. She travelled across the continent, burning as she went. She became known as Ultimecia. All mercy denied, all life denied. Somewhere along her way, she found out about Odine's creation. The Junction Machine Ellone. She could send her mind into the past. She could see Erro again. That's how it started. She proceeded to Esthar, stole the machine, and created her castle where she stayed night after night, watching her Erro. Years went by. She eventually forgot why she viewed the past. All she knew was that she wanted it back. It became her mission to bring the past to herself… you know the rest." Edea paused. Rinoa stared at the wall in a reverie. She never knew any of this.

"So the dreams… they're to warn me to not become like them?"

"Exactly. A sorceress needs a knight. But she also needs to know how to be alone. Ultimecia did not. Adel never got the chance to know. That's why it is important to foster your relationships with care – your relationship with Squall, with your friends and family, and with yourself." Rinoa nodded. She was relieved to know that the nightmares would not be a permanent thing. They were horrifying.

"I've been having the nightmares pretty much since I woke up from the coma. When will they stop?"

"It all depends. On you, Squall, and everyone around you. With which relationship you start is up to you, but I recommend you start soon."

"I will. Thank you, Matron. I really appreciate you telling me this." Edea stood and Rinoa mirrored her.

"You're very welcome, my dear. If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate."

* * *

. . . . . . . .

* * *

' _This is it… it's over. Goodbye, Selphie. Goodbye, everyone. It's been fun.'_

 _'_ _I can't believe I let this happen. How could I let them talk me into all that? I really shouldn't drink so much.'_

 _'_ _Oh man, I've really done it this time. I don't think I'll get off with just scrubbing the west dorm bathrooms again… Man, this is horrible...'_

 _'_ _Deny deny deny deny deny deny deny...'_

"Thank you for coming, everyone," Cid greeted the four fearful fools as they stood straight as sticks in front of him. "I do hope you were able to make it here without too rough a tumble with any of the grats that seem to have gotten loose," he continued with a light chuckle. "But I suppose a few measly plants are hardly a challenge for the great heroes of the Second Sorceress War." He paused, waiting for a reaction from the teenagers in front of him. They stood unmoving like statues, save the perspiration building on each of their faces. "Anyway, I suppose you know why I called you here..." he stopped again, looking closely at the nervous wrecks in front of him.

' _Here we go...'_

 _'_ _I'm gonna kill Selphie.'_

 _'_ _I'm sorry mama!'_

 _'_ _Deny deny deny...'_

"I wanted…"

 _'_ _Take it like a man.'_

 _'_ _I hope this doesn't go on my permanent record.'_

 _'_ _He's gonna string us up!'_

 _'_ _Deny deny deny deny...'_

"...To commend you."

 _'_ _Eh?'_

 _'_ _Huh?'_

 _'_ _Wha?'_

 _'_ _Deny den- wait, what?'_

Four pairs of eyes pried themselves from the metal wall behind Cid's desk and shifted to look at the headmaster himself. He smiled warmly at the young adults, hands behind his back, and cheeks glowing like a merry little Santa Claus. "It takes great strength to meet an enemy in battle, and even greater strength to forgive the enemy." The air in the room lightened as the students realized this had nothing to do with the training center. "Bringing Fujin and Raijin to me, and standing up for their chance at redemption was even more admirable than their own desires for redemption. Holding on to anger is easy," he explained, bringing a clenched fist in front of him for emphasis. "However, forgiveness..." he waved the same hand outward, palm open as if allowing a hidden dove to float out. "… is the harder and more virtuous path."

The quartet took a moment to allow their breaths back into their bodies. The truth was that forgiving them had come almost as second nature. Sure, they had been angry when they had to come up against the two in battle, in Balamb Town and in the Lunatic Pandora, but in the end, it was easy to see that they did it for a reason. Fujin and Raijin… they were helping their friend. They would all do the same for each other. And after their shenanigans last night, the terrible two seemed more like friends than ever.

"Thank you, sir. It really seemed like the right thing to do," Quistis spoke up, eager to focus on the accolades the headmaster saw fit to bestow upon them. If he at all had suspicions of their involvement in the training center, she wanted to be sure to steer his mind toward the things they did right, rather than what they did wrong. The others nodded in agreement.

"Of course," Cid replied, hands back behind his back, and a glowing, warm smile overtaking his features. "Now, go about your business, you four. I've got matters of my own to take care of. Particularly this dreadful grat situation," he said as he walked behind his desk and sat down, reaching for piles of paper that he picked up and tapped against his desk. Four hearts skipped a simultaneous beat as they shared a sly glance.

"Yes, sir!" the four snapped a salute as they quickly turned to leave the office.

"Oh, boy," Cid sighed to their turned backs, voice low yet loud enough to reach their ears. "I hate to have to expel Reagan and Monty..." he spoke quietly, almost to himself, but not quite.

The four teenagers paused and slowly turned around.

"R-Reagan and Monty, sir?" Quistis asked.

"E-expel?" Zell added.

"Yes, I'm afraid so. Their weapons were found at the doors of the training center. This leads me to believe that they were the ones responsible for this whole _Great Grat Fiasco_ or whatever the kids are calling it," he went on, his voice sad and woeful. "Such a shame, too. They really had so much potential," he went on, looking out the window as if looking at their lost careers. The four heroes exchanged guilty looks as Cid went on. "Yes, yes… Reagan was the top of his year, wasn't he. And he fought so well in the Battle of the Gardens. Hm. And Monty, oh, Monty had such a talent in magic. Blue magic, too, just like you, Quistis," he said nodding his head at the frozen ex-instructor. He turned back to the window of lost opportunity, looking out forlornly. Quistis' lips drew inward as she looked at Selphie, Irvine, then Zell. Zell began shaking with his repressed guilt. Irvine's hat had slipped over his eyes as he looked at the floor. Selphie's brows drew together into a steeple in the middle of her forehead.

Quistis couldn't do this. She couldn't allow two innocent students to take the fall for something she and her reckless comrades did. Whatever the consequences were, she wouldn't let her mistakes bring anyone else down.

Quistis took a breath and began raising her hand, only to be grabbed by Selphie, one hand gripping her wrist, and the other clutching her mouth. Quistis attempted to bring the other arm up, which was again tackled by Selphie. The two struggled against each other until a voice rang out.

"IT WAS UUUUUSSSSS!" Zell suddenly shouted, falling to his knees and eyes peering far out the window of lost dreams. Selphie and Quistis froze in their awkward position, Irvine standing behind them, arms outstretched in a delayed attempt to stop their scuffle.

Cid lowered his eyes to the group, shocked by the outburst. The four were once again frozen in fear. Cid stood from his chair, and they all stood at attention, once again preparing their minds for any and every punishment possible. Cid walked around his desk and stood in front of them. His face was blank except for the discerning spark in his eye. He stuck his hands in his pockets and rocked on his heels a bit, allowing the silence to wash over them and the guilt to sink in.

"I know," he said.

Four mouths dropped as they looked at the headmaster.

"You… kn-know?" Zell asked, a strange sense of betrayal taking root.

"Yes. I know," Cid repeated and suddenly began laughing. "I knew all along," he continued, reveling in his deception.

The friends looked at each other as confused humiliation made its way through their bodies. Irvine's mouth fell open as he looked at his comrades. Quistis brought a hand to her head as the headmaster's laughter seemed to surround her like dancing tweetie birds. Zell's face crinkled inward as tears threatened to spill from the utter rollercoaster of emotions. Selphie shook her head and searched her mind to figure out how he could have known.

"The ta- hahaha," the headmaster had now devolved into hysterics. "The-the taaaappes- hahahahaha!"

A panic took over the group as they made out the words the headmaster was saying.

"What tapes? _What tapes?!_ " Selphie shouted, claw-like hands spread out in question.

"Th- the security tapesssshahahaha!"

"Aww shi-"

"Oh my God!"

"Ahhhh-"

"NOOOOO!"

"Aaahhahahahahaha!"

The four had collapsed to the floor in defeat as Cid finally managed to reel in his hysteria. He wiped his teary eyes under his glasses as he leaned back against his desk, looking at his despondent heroes. "Oh.. oh, come now. There's no need to be so upset. Don't worry. I'm not going to expel you. Or Reagan or Monty or anyone. For Hyne's sake, I just allowed two ex-Galbadian warlords back into my Garden. I think I can allow you all to stay, despite your questionable antics last night. After all, you did save the world, you know." Slowly the group got to their feet, not quite standing at attention, still dazed by the revelation that their epic secret only managed to stay secret for 12 hours.

"Anyway," Cid began again, standing from his desk, causing the four to stand at attention and focus on the next words he would say. "Of course, this event can't go unpunished. Repairing that training center is going to take a lot of work. Not to mention taking care of all the grats that are running around Garden. So, as punishment, I think it's only fair that you clean up your own mess and kill all the grats that have gotten out." The four nodded, accepting their punishment without complaint. "It won't be easy either. In large spaces, those little buggers are fast. And they breed quickly too, so make sure to destroy any nests you may find," he continued. He walked behind his desk, all the while keeping his eyes on the students. When he sat down he finished his instruction. "You'll need to take care of this starting now and not finishing until it's done. I regret to tell you it'll take a few hours, but if you work quickly, I'm sure it'll be easy enough. Dismissed."

With that, the fearsome foursome turned and began to leave the office.

"Oh, and one more thing," the headmaster called out. They turned and braced themselves for another barrage of punishment. "I'll be requiring special services from all of you in the upcoming weeks. Be prepared for my orders. That is all." He finally looked down from them at his papers, allowing the woeful teenagers to leave.

* * *

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* * *

Author's note: I like to imagine the four of them running around to the tune of yakety saks as they chase grats all over Garden, and I encourage you to do the same.

Also, if you like, please review!


	7. Chapter 7

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"One… two… threeeeeheeeheeheeeee!" Selphie threw her arms up behind her as she sped down the icy tunnel made by the Trabian penluks. A group of five teenagers waited at the opening of the tunnel, bundled up in thick winter gear, watching as their friend disappeared around the bend, and listening as she squealed in delight. Hardly a breath was made as they waited to hear her reach the end. "Oof." A soft grunt was heard. "Alright! You can come down now!" Selphie shouted excitedly to her friends.

"Selphie! Don't yell-" Quistis shouted down, stopping herself short as she realized she was doing the exact same thing. "Cave-ins..." she muttered as she sat down at the entrance of the luminous blue hole. "Alright," she said as she turned to the others. "Now, when I get to the bottom, instead of yelling like Selphie," she said sharply as she looked down the tunnel to where the offending friend waited, "I'm going to flash this green light when the path is clear." She lifted her wrist, pressing a button which emitted a bright green laser. "If there are any obstructions, you'll see the red one," she continued, pushing another button which emitted a red light.

"Okay… here goes," she said as she situated her body to face her feet. After a deep breath, she gently pushed herself forward and simultaneously leaned back, falling into the cold hole. Four teammates were left, and they once again turned an ear forward to listen for another "Oof" as Quistis landed at the base.

"Whoo-hoooo!" Selphie's voice echoed through the surroundings.

"Selphie!" Quistis's voice came, scolding her friend. Subdued mutters were heard as the two had a few repartees back and forth, and finally a green light reflected through the tunnel.

"That's me!" Zell announced, saluting the others from his wool winter hat and stepping forward. He sat down and placed his hands on the ground, sliding his butt back, then forth, then back then forth, then back and _zoom_ , down the tunnel he went.

"Oooohhh yeahhh!" Zell shouted, followed by _thud_ and a sharp _thwack_ and an "ow!" and finally a green light. The three at the top shared a snicker as Irvine stepped up.

"Guess it's my turn," he said walking forward, then turned back quickly, holding a finger out to the remaining two sliders. "Now, you two take your time, ya hear?" Rinoa giggled and turned her head embarrassed, as Squall shook his head at the pervert and rolled his eyes. "And a-one, and a-two…" and with a _swoosh_ , the cowboy was gone. No shouts or thuds or thwacks accompanied his landing, and quickly the green light shined up at the young couple.

Rinoa stepped forward, then turned and looked at Squall, who gave her a tiny smile of encouragement. She looked back down into the tunnel, then turned quickly, stepped forward, and pressed her lips against Squall's. She stepped back and opened her eyes to see Squall smiling back as he started to lean in once more. A blinking green light flashed again distracting the motion and the two lovebirds shared a shy smile as Rinoa stepped to the entrance. "See ya on the other side," she waved a hand as she leaned back and allowed gravity to drag her down to the next level. Squall watched as she disappeared from view, then let out a soft sigh. Then, when the green light appeared, he sat down, and pushed himself forward.

The ground came up quickly, and his reflexes and memories of the others' rough landings allowed him to bring his legs down so he could stand up dignified, rather than fall to the ground like a bloated frog.

"Alright, where's the next one, then?" Quistis asked, looking onto the snow-covered mountain. They had climbed almost to the summit before starting any of the tunnels, at Selphie's insistence. The mountain wasn't the tallest, but it ran long. It had taken them nearly 45 minutes to hike to the top, during which time, Selphie regaled them with tales of her adventures in Trabia as a kid. The girl was truly ecstatic to be back in her home country and sharing it with her friends.

"There, I see it," Selphie pointed somewhere in the distance.

"Where?" Zell asked, raising a hand as if to block an imaginary sun.

"Here, follow me," Selphie commanded as she stepped to the front of the group. Irvine nudged Squall's shoulder discreetly, wiggling his eyebrows a bit and gesturing his head back up the tunnel. He leaned back quickly as a gloved hand came up to swat him away, then he snickered and walked ahead next to Selphie, who was lifting her knees up to her chest in order to stomp over the snow, which really wasn't all that high. Most of the snow had turned to ice from the trampling of the animals in the area and the people who came to do exactly what these six people were doing.

The tunnels were buried under the snow, only slightly visible like a trail made by a shallow-digging badger. Quistis was loathe to admit that the tunnels did seem pretty solid, and the air dry and chilly. But she still insisted that each of them wear the emergency bracelets in case they got separated. She would not allow them to be shouting all across the snow and ice-covered mountains. The last thing they needed was a cave-in, or worse, an avalanche. She also insisted they bring their weapons in case they came across anything less than friendly.

"Alright, here's the next one. Who's first?" Selphie asked.

"How about doubling up?" Irvine asked slyly.

"I don't know if you and Zell can fit together," Squall remarked casually, causing the girls to laugh and Zell and Irvine to sigh at the quip.

"Squall, you old rascal," Selphie chuckled walking forward and giving him a playful punch. "Well, I guess I'm first again."

"But really, no doubles?" Irvine asked hopefully. Selphie sat down and turned to him, slowly bringing up a hand and reaching out to him. Irvine grinned and stepped toward her, before she swiped her hand away, bringing a finger to her eye, pulling it downward and sticking out her tongue with a "mleh", then she propelled herself forward into another blue cave.

"Aww, shucks," Irvine stamped a foot, causing an echo throughout the landscape. Quistis gasped and the others looked around, listening as the sound traveled further until finally it was gone. Quistis' lips puckered tight in irritation as she crossed her arms at the cowboy, who held his hands up in defense and gave a bashful grin.

Quistis stepped forward and sat, waiting for the light. When it showed, she slid down, making a soundless landing. The others followed suit.

The tunnels traveled across the mountain, the inclines angled just enough to allow gravity to pull the sliders down, but not so much that one would start speeding to the base of the mountain at 80 miles an hour. After 30 minutes of sliding back and forth on the luminous tunnels, Quistis' worries finally started to dissipate, and she joined the others in their jump starts, doubles, and backwards belly runs. So far there had only been one tunnel on each path, but soon they came upon a clearing with four different openings.

"Well, what have we here?" Irvine asked as he appraised the new obstacle.

Crossing her arms as she too observed the multiple paths, Selphie replied, "Ahh, this is what we call the 'hit it and quit it'."

"Ahh… wait, what?" Irvine stopped and turned to Selphie who looked back at him unfazed.

"The 'hit it and quit it'."

Irvine nodded slowly as he saw that Selphie did not realize the double meaning of her words. He bit his lip to hold in a laugh as he looked at the others around him, of whom Zell, Quistis, and even Squall were suppressing laughter. Rinoa noticed the apparent amusement of her friends and asked, "What?" Squall looked at her and quickly shook his head.

"And, umm," Quistis began, arms crossed and hand outstretched in question, still holding in laughter, "Why do you call it that, Selphie?"

"Because at least one of these tunnels is gonna lead to the end of the line," Selphie explained matter-of-factly.

"And what about the other tunnels?"

"They keep going."

"Then shouldn't it be called the 'hit it _or_ quit it'?" Zell asked.

"Yeah, maybe, but the bigger kids called it 'hit it and quit it', so we just copied what they said."

"Oh, I see," Zell replied bringing a hand to his mouth in laughter.

Selphie flashed a stern look at her friends. "It's not a joke you guys. If you get to the bottom, you can't climb back up through the tunnel. You have to go alllll the way to the top of the mountain and start again. And that's a lonnnng walk back."

"So, what do you suggest we do, Sefie?" Irvine asked.

"Well, the way we used to do it was split up and whoever was at the bottom had to be our slave for the day."

"Oooh, I see," Irvine began eagerly. "So why don't you go through this one and I'll go through that one, and let's hope one of us gets lucky."

A collective eye roll was practically heard throughout the mountain and Selphie grabbed the red scarf wrapped around Irvine's neck. "Uh-uh. You're coming with me. I'm not taking any chances." She dragged him to the opening and sat down, pulling him down behind her.

"Wait, I'm not bein' anyone's slave," Zell contested as Selphie and Irvine pushed forward and went zipping down. He stared after them, mouth agape, then turned back to the others, crossing his arms. "If slavery's involved, I'm not doing it," he said definitively.

"You don't have to be anyone's slave, Zell," Quistis patted his shoulder as she walked past him to the second tunnel. "But, it's probably best if we go together, too. We don't want to get completely separated from each other."

"Alright," Zell acquiesced as he stepped forward. He sat behind Quistis before saying, "But, if by some chance, Selphie and Irvine are at the bottom now, and we get to keep going, we get to make them our slaves, right?"

"Oh, Zell," Quistis rolled her eyes as she slid them forward through the tunnel.

"Well, just us two now, huh?" Rinoa asked as she smiled at Squall. "Wanna split up and hope one of us ends up the other's slave?"

Squall smiled and held in the thought, _I'm already your slave_. "How about we go together and just hope we don't reach the end?" He held a hand out, which Rinoa took.

"Sounds like a plan," she said as she stepped closer to him. Their thick clothes stopped their body heat from reaching each other, but the cold, dry air seemed to magnify the static between them. Rinoa's heart pumped as he leaned down and kissed her slowly. His nose was cold on her cheek, but his lips were warm. Her surroundings melted around her as her world became only what she could touch, taste, and smell, and that was him. Squall gripped her closer, though her fluffy blue jacket formed a barrier between his hands and her body. Her hands pulled him closer to her and he wondered how long they could stay there before having to meet up with the others.

A loud crack suddenly echoed through the night. Squall and Rinoa ripped apart from each other as they listened for more noise.

"Monster! We need help!" Quistis voice rang out, and Squall and Rinoa rushed to the tunnel she and Zell had traveled through. Squall brought his gunblade in front of him, pointing it toward the opening as they rushed through. He squinted his eyes against the cold air as he watched blue shades of ice flash in front of him. The tunnel turned left then right, until finally there was a clearing. Squall gasped and turned his gunblade quickly to the side as he nearly collided with Zell, whose back was to him, and stood facing a giant white behemoth.

* * *

. . . . . . . .

* * *

The monster was one they had never seen before. It looked like a wendigo, but larger; a giant white ape with no head, and a slit in the place where its neck would have been, opening and closing to multiple rings of short, obsidian teeth. Its two arms were the double the size of its torso, and two limp legs dangled from the body, flopping around seemingly lifeless. If they weren't currently preoccupied with its flailing, terrible fists, the four teenagers would have related the legs to a stubborn piece of poop, clinging to a hairy butt.

The monster lifted one giant arm and brought it down, aiming for Zell, who jumped out the way. Squall jumped in the same direction, and Rinoa the opposite as she strapped on her pinwheel. The monster lurched from side to side, then turned quickly on its giant fists toward Rinoa. Rinoa held back a gasp and quickly brought an arm up, casting a shield in front of her. The monster's fist rang against the shield, pushing the invisible barrier into the ground, making a small crater with Rinoa in the center. Rinoa held her arms up and willed the shield to stay in place as the monster continued pounding it.

"Rinoa!" Squall shouted and dashed forward, slashing at the torso of the monster. It staggered at the assault and wheeled around to face its attacker, its tiny legs flying outward. It stomped forward on its giant arms, then swung an arm around, 360 degrees, and landing in the spot where Squall had just been standing. He spun his gunblade once as he prepared to leap in again, but jumped back in defense as the monster slingshot its torso forward, legs reaching out toward Squall. Between the legs Squall could see a small, round eye, an inky black color.

"There's an eye at the base of the torso!" he shouted to his comrades. "Aim for that!"

"I'll distract it!" Cracks rang out to the right, where Quistis unleashed a barrage of attacks, her teeth gritting as she stepped around the moving monster. She was limping slightly as she tried to circle the monster and stay out of its line of sight. It swiveled around, unable to bring Quistis to its front, then stopped, allowing Quistis to move directly to the side of its arm, then it whipped the arm up, knocking her backward onto the ice. She rose slowly, clutching her whip as she cast a cure spell on herself.

"Rrrahhhh!" Zell shouted as he raged in, attacking the torso in a flurry a fists, movements so quick they appeared as blue blurs. The monster staggered backward from the power of the blows until finally falling on its back. "Gotcha!" he shouted as he rushed in toward the tiny black eye. He threw a fist out, aiming for the center, and the legs wrapped around his arm, stopping him with a force contrary to their tiny size. Zell clenched his teeth as he tried to pull his arm out, bringing a leg over to push against the torso. The grip was strong, and the long, toe-like appendages squeezed at his arm as he grimaced in pain. Zell looked at the middle of the torso again and lifted a foot, bringing the heel down on the eye. A shrill shriek escaped the upper maw of the beast. Zell took that as a good sign and continued pounding at the eye.

The monster rolled onto its fists and began shaking its torso, the legs letting go of Zell's arm and flinging him away. Zell rolled to the ground, then stood, clutching his broken arm. A tingling, cool sensation replaced the fiery pain as Rinoa cast a cure spell from her spot near the entrance of the cave. "Thanks Rin!" he shouted as he watched for an opening in the melee.

Squall jumped from side to side as the monster brought down fist after fist, attempting to squash its prey. He made his way under the beast and ducked low as the legs reached out for him, then brought a powerful slice upward, slashing at the legs, and severing them halfway down from the body. The monster let out another shriek as Zell leaped up again, punching and kicking high, attempting to knock it on its back again. The monster lurched backward, then found a new strength and charged forward quickly, knocking Squall to the ground, and carrying Zell forward. He jumped over the top of the beast, avoiding the gaping maw at the top, and landed behind it, sliding under it, where he began a relentless round of furious punches. The monster squealed and staggered backward, Zell following it, pounding away at the angry eye, until finally, his fist broke through the flesh. The monster stopped suddenly as Zell reached around inside, feeling something solid, warm, and throbbing. He grabbed the base of it and squeezed tightly, then ripped it out. A heart the size of a basketball pulsed against his fingers. The monster lurched forth and back one last time, before finally dropping to the ground.

Zell turned to his comrades, heart raised high, then he threw it to the ground in front of them like an offering. They watched him with smirking smiles as he raised his fists up to the sky and shouted in victory.

Two soft plops sounded from behind the group.

"Are you guys alright?" Irvine asked running forward.

"We came as fast as we could! We had to find a way back to these tunnels," Selphie explained tearfully. "Oh my God! Zell!" she shouted as she ran toward him. "You're covered in blood!"

Zell grinned as he looked at his soaked arm and then back at her. "Not my blood," he said.

A loud groan made them all jump to attention as the monster let out a gurgling death rattle.

"Oh man, look at that thing," Irvine said walking toward it. "What is it?"

Quistis let out a heavy sigh and shook her head. "I've never seen anything like it before. It must have come down in this last Lunar Cry."

"Was it a tough cookie?" Selphie asked, joining Irvine by the monster and bending down to look at it.

"You could say that," Quistis replied. "It's fast and very strong."

"Even the legs in the middle were like a vice. Man, that thing definitely broke my arm. Hey, thanks for the cure, Rin, I don't think my magic would have helped as much as yours," Zell reached a hand out and patted Rinoa's shoulder.

"Anything to help," Rinoa replied as Squall moved beside her and placed a hand on her back.

"Are you okay?" he asked quietly so the others couldn't here.

She smiled, glad for his concern. "Yeah. You?"

He cocked his head and smiled. "Yeah, of course." He couldn't stop his need to be close to her and put his arm around her small, shivering frame.

"And there's some kind of mouth at the top that it tries to shove you into if it grabs you," Zell continued his description of the beast. Squall eyebrows twitched upward. He hadn't seen that happen. It must have been before he and Rinoa had gotten there.

Another loud groan caused the six to jump to arms again. The mouth about which Zell had just been speaking had suddenly fallen open, the rings of teeth exposed.

"Oh wow… freeeaaaky… Hey, look, there's something in there," Selphie said as she leaned precariously close to the chainsaw-like mouth.

"Me-me! It's mine! Me, me, me!" Zell shouted as he ran over, jumping on the giant arm and to the top of the head. He peered in next to Selphie, uncaring that this same creature had been _this_ close to putting them all inside that hole. "Oooh, pretty!" he said as he reached both hands in and pulled out two shiny purple stones. He held them up to his face as a grin spread across his face and his tongue slipped out of his mouth in desire. "Ooohoohoo boy!"

"What is it?" Rinoa asked from her place next to Squall.

Quistis stepped closer to Zell as she inspected it. "I don't know, I've never seen anything like this." She looked up as she thought. "I guess with new monsters comes new materials. It's hard to know what properties they'll have without being analyzed, but judging by the type of monster, we can make guesses."

"So what would your guess be?" Irvine asked as he too leaned in close to inspect the purple orbs.

"Well, judging by the strength of the monster, the magic in the stones would probably be strong, too. It could be stronger than a wizard stone. Or it could contain a kind of elemental magic. The monster is clearly an ice creature, so it could be ice magic."

"Ooh-ooh! Do I get to name the monster?" Zell asked suddenly, hopping from foot to foot.

Quistis cocked an eyebrow at Zell. "What? No, you don't get to _name_ the monster."

"But I killed it. And no one has ever seen it before," Zell argued insistently. He looked upward in contemplation. "Hmm… I think I'll call it… dingleberry."

"Ha! What kind of name is that?" Irvine laughed.

"Zell, even if you could name it, I don't think dingleberry is an appropriate name."

"Oh? Then what do you suggest, _your majesty_?"

"… Turdzilla."

The group laughed at the terrifying creature with the unfortunate, floppy legs. Their laughter echoed throughout the silent mountaintops, and a sudden and loud crack filled the air. They ceased their frivolities and turned toward the sound, watching as a large billow of snow slowly began tumbling down the mountain where they had begun their evening. They watched, mouths agape, as the tunnels they had just slid through began cracking down the middle, tracing the paths they had just followed.

When the noise finally ceased, they exchanged wide-eyed glances, silence permeating the air once again.

Finally, Irvine spoke. "… So… home?"

* * *

. . . . . . . .


End file.
